Daine at the full moon
by VaialaVerikova
Summary: Daine dies and Numair is sad but he'll see her sooner than he thinks. UPDATED. i tweaked chap one.


Daine flew off Cloud's back, three arrows lodged in her chest. Numair swung off his horse, Alanna beside him. Gently he eased the arrows out as Daine fainted. Alanna stopped the bleeding in the wounds and hefted her up, slinging her across Darkmoon's shoulders and keeping her there with one hand as she and Numair fled the battlefield to the healers' tent in the camp. They laid Daine on a bed and her eyelids fluttered. The animals on the battlefield refused to move and killed any man who tried to make them so the two armies waited in silence, challenging each other with stony eyes.

Numair took Daine's hand as Alanna stitched up the wound and bandaged it. Once she was finished Daine smiled weakly at Numair and drifted off to sleep. After an hour the animals turned and walked back to their own camps, their owners following them to wait until the mounts would co-operate.

Daine slept and heard a soft voice in her eyes,

" Time to come up Daine."

" Ma?" she whispered and the voice went on,

" Come up to us Daine. It's your time. You'll be able to see Numair every full moon."

" But…" Daine started and the voice whispered,

" If you don't come now you will remain crippled all your life unable to use your gift."

A single tear slid down her cheek and she whispered,

" Let me say good bye."

Numair watched as her lips moved and a single tear rolled down her cheek. He brushed it away as her eyelids fluttered and she woke. He smiled at her and saw sadness and fear in her eyes.

" I'm going to die." She breathed, staring at him.

" Don't be silly. You'll be fine." Numair whispered to her, planting a kiss on her forehead. She tried to lift her hand to his cheek but she couldn't find the strength. Instead Numair held her hands as her skin became whiter and whiter.

" I'm not being silly. I know it and I'm worried for you." She breathed he had to put his ear near her mouth to hear it. Alanna came and put a comforting hand n his shoulder.

" She thinks she's dying." He whispered, standing beside his old friend. Alanna knelt beside the young woman and fell into her gift. What she saw horrified her. She stood and put a hand on Numair's shoulder, whispering,

" She's right. There must have been poison on the arrows. She won't last long." Numair collapsed beside his wife and she somehow found the strength to whisper,

" I'll see you at the full moon." Her breath slowed and her heart beat faster and faster. Cloud galloped into the tent and stood at the foot of her bed, eyes rolling. Daine smiled and her heart stopped, her breath no longer making her chest rise and fall. Numair put his head on her shoulder and screamed as her friends gathered round to see what had happened. He sobbed and stroked her curls back from her pale cold face. Her smile was one of peace and her staring eyes were calm as he gently closed them.

Animals all over the world screamed in their sorrow and Cloud lipped her sleeve before lying on the ground in the middle of the healers' tent.

A twist of green and gold drifted up from her body and out the tent flap. Several people stared as it rose into the sky. Twenty feet off the ground it flared and vanished, leaving the smell of lavender drifting on the breeze.

Numair stroked her cold cheek and smoothed her soft curls before Alanna pulled him up and they stared at their dead Wildmage for a moment and then left the tent.

The animals in the Scanran camp turned on their owners with shrieks of fury, destroying the camp and half the army. It one week to end the war and for both armies to go home.

Back in the Palace they buried Daine in one of the many gardens with a ornately carved pillar marking the spot. Flowers gathered on her grave as the days drew closer to the full moon.

Numair stayed in his room, sorting through his dead wife's belongings. He came across her jewellery and sat down heavily on the bed, staring at the jewels and chains.

Onua knocked on the door and handed him Daine's bow and quiver. His lip quivered and he burst into tears. Onua put a hand on his shoulder and then noticed commotion in the meadow outside. She looked more closely and saw a young woman appear in a cloud of green and gold sparks dressed in an elegant dress that didn't rumple as she greeted the animals that crowded around her. She looked up at Onua and the older woman recognised someone she had last seen in a coffin surrounded by flowers.

" Numair. Look at that." She cried and Numair looked. He gasped and whispered,

" I'm seeing things."

" Really Love?" Daine's voice rang in their ears, " Your eyes seem fine to me."

Numair dropped her bow and quiver and ran from the room, out into the meadow. He stopped just outside the cluster of horses and dogs, staring at someone he was sure was dead. She smiled and he pushed through the crowd of animals to stare at her.

" You forgot what I said about coming at the full moon." She accused and Numair glanced up at the sky. However the moon was covered with cloud and he could only see a faint glow. The young woman stepped forwards and put a hand on his cheek. He felt a tingle where her skin met his as though she was full of sparking energy.

" I'm dreaming." He whispered and Daine laughed.

" No you aren't Love." She said and Numair threw his arms round her, kissing the top of her head as her arms went round his neck. The animals chattered to each other and Daine turned her head up to look into his eyes. He smiled and kissed her gently, easing his lips over hers.

" What on earth?" a voice cried and Daine looked round. She smiled at Thayet who stood staring at her.

" What on earth is going on?" Jon asked coming to stand by his wife with Onua. Daine laughed, her voice filled with loving warmth. The monarchs stared at her as she looked up and the full moon came out, bathing her in silvery light. She smiled and looked back at her old friends. Thayet came forwards still staring and Daine grinned at her. The queen threw her arms round her and Onua and Jon followed suit though they still stared.

" I don't entirely understand." Jon muttered and Daine laughed again.

" You're forgetting who my parents are. I had a choice of whether to go the realms of the dead or the divine ones." She explained and a small figure launched itself up onto her shoulder. She smiled and stroked Zek's back. Numair was looking dazed and she smiled.

" It's top late at night for me to understand." Jon muttered and Daine laughed,

" The moon's only just risen. It isn't that late." She said and a small grey pony pushed through the crowd and butted her. She turned to greet her long time companion and the others watched her and noticed that small green and gold sparks danced in her eyes.

Thayet yawned and a green spark flew from Daine to her, making her suddenly not tired at all. The woman stared at Daine who smiled mischievously and a flock of birds descended to land on her and the horses. She greeted them and threw her arms in the air, scattering them into the air. She turned with a smile and walked slowly towards the woods, her friends following her to a small clearing with a pond at its centre. She knelt on a flat stone at the edge and called in a soft humming voice that gave the others a sense of power.

The undine that lived in the pool came up to the surface and Daine held out a hand. The tiny female gripped her fingers and whistled to her before diving below the surface again.

" What are you goddess of?" Onua asked and Daine replied,

" Animals, Immortals and Love." Her soft voice was full of warmth.

" That's a strange combination." Numair muttered.

" It works for me." Daine replied and rose, leading the way deeper into the forest. She stopped after a while and called softly. A pack of wolves answered her with their praise to the moon. Then she turned to stare up at the full moon for a moment and then sighed as if irritated. She led the way back to the palace and silently said goodbye to the animals before stroking Numair's cheek and fading in a burst of green and gold sparks.


End file.
